The Oyo state Electoral Commission today disclosed that about 800,000 Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs) are yet to be collected by their owners.
The State INEC Commissioner, Barrister Mutiu Agboke made this known at a stakeholders meeting for Ibarapa Zone held at the Eruwa Town Hall today.
According to him, the commission is committed to conducting free, fair and acceptable elections in 2019.
He explained that the electoral umpire is concerned with the thousands of PVCs which remained uncollected despite the frantic effort by the commission.
He further lamented that rather than engaging in political campaigns by parties, what should be paramount in their agendas is to sensitize people on the need to collect their Permanent Voter’s Cards.
“Without PVCs, there is no way any individual can exercise his or her civic responsibility during the general elections hence the need for INEC to intensify efforts in its sensitization programmes” he said.
While appreciating the Ibarapa zone for their cooperation in the recent Ibarapa East State House of Assembly bye elections, the INEC chief said the task of ensuring credible elections cannot be left in the hands of government alone, hence the need for people to cooperate with the commission.
Speaking on the issue of vote buying, Barrister Agboke assured that INEC will do everything within its power to eradicate vote buying in 2019 general elections. He however called on politicians to desist from the dastardly act.
